Binder.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. OLNE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.-

BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Leners Application filed January 7, 1899.

To a/ZZ whom may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE J. CLINE, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Binders, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has relation to improvements vvide for the covers of thebinder being adjusted from and toward each other to adaptY the binder toaccommodate'a greater or less number of leaves and in connectiontherewith au improved form of locking mechanism for holding the coversreleasably locked in adjusted position. f

With the above primary and other inci-A dental objects in view theinvention consists' of the devices and parts or their equivalents, ashereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a binderconstructed. in .ac-- eordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an edge viewof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the rear end of the binder with partsbroken f away. Fig. ai is an end view of the tubular SCI portion of thenut of the locking mechanism, and Fig. 5 illustrates in detail the upperportions of the posts,` said several portions being shown as of varyinglengths.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 indicates the uppercover-section, and 7 the lower cover-section, of the binder. The uppercover-section is shown as provided with a series of hinge-joints `8. Itis obvious that only one of said hingedr joints could be provided-wiz.,the joint nearest the rear edge of the cover-section; but by preferenceI provide a series of said hinge-joints, so that the cover may be foldedover the back of the book and made to lie smoothly against the PatentNo. 629,889, dated August i, 1899.

serial No. 701,462. (No man sired, said other side cover may also be provided with either a single hinge-joint or with a series of saidhinge-joints, and in case both of said covers are provided each with aseries of hinge-joints a reversible book is thereby provided.

Referring now particularly to Inymprovements, the numeral 9 indicates aplate which is secured to and across the rear portion of the uppercover-section 6.' -This plate is pro vided with openings 10 10, whichopenings register with other openings 11 through the cover-section 6.The opposite ends of the plate 9 are provided with inwardly-extend ingslots 12 12, and these slots register with similar slots beneath thesame and formed in the cover-section 6. These slotted ends of `the plate9 are also upturned slightly, as

other plate which is secured Vacross the rear portion of the lowercover-section 7. The ends 'of this plate are bent around to form hingeeyes or knuckles 1i 14, and the opposite edges of the side cover. arecut out, as indicated at 15 A15, Fig. 3, for the accommodation of these.eyes or knuckles. The plate13 has extending upwardly therefrom posts 1616. The upper portions of these posts are tubular and inte'- riorlythreaded, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

,Thesefinteriorly,-threaded tubular portions lare adapt-ed to receivethe threaded stem 17, extending from an upper post-section 1S. Thethreaded stern of said upper post-section is of less diameter than themain portion kof said postsection, so as to form a shoulder v19. Whenthe stem 17 is fully turned into the threaded bore or socket of a lowerpost-section 16, the shoulder 1 9 will bear against the upper end ofsaid lower post-section 16. In practice it is desirable to provide anumber of upper post-sections 18 of varying lengths, as shown in Fig. 5,so that as additional leaves are inserted between the cover-sections ofthe binder, and consequently the distance-between said cover-sectionsincreased, the posts are thereby lengthened to correspond with theaugmented space .betweenthe covers, or,

are extracted and the distance between the cover-sections therebydiminished upper'postouter surface of the other side cover. If delclearly shown. The numeral 13 indicates an'- on the other hand, whereanumber of leaves IOO - sections.

sections 18 of less length may be secured into the threaded sockets ofthe lower post- In the accompanying drawings I have shown two of thesetwo-part posts. It is obvious, however, that only one of such posts maybe used, or more than two, as preferred. These two-part posts areadapted to pass through openings 20 in the leaves 2l and their upperends to pass through the registering openings 11 and l0 of the uppercoversection 6 and the upper plate 9, respectively.

Journaled `in the hinge eyes or knuckles 14 are pins 22 22. The hingeeyes or knuckles are arranged in pairs, and between the inner ends ofeach pair is left a space, in which is fitted the lower end of athreaded stem 23. The lower ends of these threaded stems are providedwith eyes, through which the pins 22 pass. Nuts are adapted to engagethese screw-stems, and said nuts consist of upper head portions 24 24and lower depending interiorly-threaded tubular portions 25 25, thethreads of said tubular portions engaging the stems, and each tubularportion -being preferably slitted at diametrically opposite points, asindicated by the numerals 26 26, said slits being provided so as to morereadily permit of the engagement of the tubular portions of the nutsiirmly with the threaded stems, particularly when said stems becomeworn. The

upper head portions of the nuts are ad visably milled for convenience inturning, and the` under sides of these head portions are advisablybeveled, as clearly shown.

Figs. I, 2, and 3 of the drawings show the hinges as turned up tolocking position, so as to prevent the removal of either ot thecoversections. In this locking position the beveled under sides of theheads 24 of the nuts engage the slots 12 12 of the plate 9, said slotsextending inwardly a suicient distance to gu-ard against-the accidentaldisengagement of the head portions of the nuts, and the lslotted ends ofthe plate 9 being also upturned to assist in holding the hinges in theirlocking positions. When it is desired to either remove a leaf or insertan additional one, the fingers are placed upon the head portions of thenuts and the hinges turned outwardly to the dotted-line position shownin Fig. 3. The top cover-section is then free to be removed for eitherthe insertion or removal of leaves.

From the above description it will be seen that I provide a most simpledevice of the character described. The invention is adapted to be usedas a refillable binding for blankbooks, ledgers, records, &rc., where itis desirable that leaves should be bound temporarily. One special usehad in view is the employment of the device as a binder for the slipsused by newspaper-route carriers. This is a very desirable applicationof the invention and subserves convenience to the maximum when soapplied.

It will be obvious by the employment of nuts having the tubularinteriorly-tlneaded portions adapted to engage the screws 23 that whenthe hinged members are thrown upwardly into locking position the nutsmay be turned down tightly .onto the plate 9, and thus hold the topcover most firmly in engagement with the hinged members, and that whenit is desired to unlock the cover, it the heads 24 of the nuts bear sotightly on the plate 9 as to prevent ready disengagement, the nuts maybe turned upwardly, and thereby permit the hinged members to be swungdownwardly out of engagement.

It will also be obvious that it is notabsolutely necessary that thethreaded stems 23 should be hinged and the upper ends of the tubularportions 25 provided with t'he heads 24, inasmuch as the tubes 25 couldbe hinged and the threaded stems 'provided with the head portionsadapted to engage the slots 12 without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention. In this case, of course, the heads of thethreaded stems would be turned downwardlyinto the vthreaded tubes inorder to make said heads bind iirmly against the cover-section. i

Vhat I claim as my invention is-- 1. In a binder, lthe combination, ofcoversections, one ot' said sections provided near its rear edge, and atopposite side edges, with slots, hinge members hinged to one of saidcover-sections, and each of said hinge members consisting of twoengaging parts, one of said parts being a threaded stem and the otherpart a threaded nut, and one ot'` said parts provided with a headportion adapted to engage the slot of the cover-section, when the hingemember is turned upwardly to locking position, and to be disengaged fromsaid slot, when the hinge 4memberisturned downwardly to unlockingposition.

2. In a binder, the combination, of coversections, one of said sectionsprovided near its rear edge, and at opposite sideedges, with slots, aplate extending across the rear portion ot' the other cover-section,said plate provided at its ends with eyes or knuckles, pins mounted insaid eyes or knuckles, hinge members, each member consisting of twoengaging parts, one of said parts being a threaded IIO stem, and. theother part a threaded nut, and

one of said parts connected to the pin which is journaled in the eye orknuckle, and the other partI provided with a head portion, adapted toengage the slot of the cover-section, when the hinge'member is turnedupwardly to locking position, and to be disengaged from said slot whenthe hinge member is turned downwardly to unlocking position.

3. In a binder, the combination, of coversections, one of said sectionsprovided near its rear edge, and at opposite side edges, with slots, aplate extending across the rear portion of the slotted cover-section,and provided with slots registering with the,slots of said lslottedcover-section,hinge members hinged to members consisting of two engagingparts, one of said parts being a threaded stern, and the other part athreaded n nt,and one of said parts provided with a headed portionadapted to engage the registering slots of the covering section andplate, when the hinge member is turned upwardly to looking position, andto bedisengaged from said registering slots, when the hinge member isturned downwardly to unlocking position.

4. In a binder, the combination, of coversections, one of saidcover-sections provided near its rear portion, and at opposite sideedges, with slots, a plate extending across the rear portion of theslotted cover-section, the ends of said plate being bent upwardly andslotted, the slots registering with the slots of said slottedcover-section, hinge members hinged to the other cover-section, and eachof said hinge members consisting of two engaging parts, one of saidparts being a threaded stem, and the other part a threaded nut, and oneof said parts provided with a headed p0rtion adapted to engage theregistering'slots of the cover-section and plate, when the hinge memberis turned upwardly to locking position, and to be disengaged from saidregistering slots, when the hinge member is turned downwardly tounlocking position.

5. In a binder, the combination, of coversections, one ofsaid sectionsprovided near its rear portion, and at opposite side edges, with slots,hinge members hinged to one of said cover-sections, and each memberconsisting of two engaging parts, one of said parts being a threadedstem, and the other part a slitte'd threaded nut, and one ot' said partsprovided with a head portion adapted to engage the slot of thecover-section, when the hinge member is turned upwardly to lockingposition,and

slots, a plate extending across the rear por- Y tion of the othercover-section, hinge members hinged to the projecting ends of the plate,and each of said hinge members consisting of two engaging parts, one ofsaid parts being a threaded stem, and the other of said parts a threadednut, and one of said parts provided with a headed portion adapted toengage the slot of the cover-section, when.

the hinge member is turned upwardly to locking position, and to bedisengaged from said slot, when the hinge member is turned downwardly tounlocking position.

7. In a binder, the combination, of a coversection provided at its rearportion, and at opposite side edges thereof, with slots, anothercover-section, hinge members, each of said hinge members consisting oftwo engaging parts, one of said parts being a threaded stem hingedv tothe latter cover-section, and the other part a threaded nut engaging thethreaded stem, the upper end of said nut provided with a head portionadapted to engage the slot of the slotted cover-section, when the 'hingemember is turned upwardly to locking position, and to be disengaged fromsaid slot when turned downwardly to unlocking position.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence .of two witnesses.

GrEOI-MSE J. CLINE.

' Vitnesses:

A. L. MORSELL, ANNA V. FAUsr.

